The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1887-12-27
BELLE MEADE.
A Visit to the Great Stock Farm
of General Harding.
THE HOME OF THE FAMOUS IROQUOIs,

| CosrcSpondence Royal acres arc those which
make up the celebrated Belle Meade farm.
And sacred must it's stables he 10 the horse
| man, for they shelter the only American horse
/ which ever crossed the ocean in quest OF CON
quest. and carried off the honoTs Of the Derby.
This feat Of the spirited Iro9uois makes him
\ the historic stallion OF the country.
| The old house is still standing which was
| erected by John Harding over one hundred
| years ago, In this house William G. Ii ariing
/ was born in lSlS. At the time Nashville was
but struggling village, and the Indians from
| the surrounding country made frequent trips
thereto foE trade, 1t was their custom TO stop
at the house Of John Harding as they passed,
and by hin they were always welcomed, This
is the farm upon which the Hardings, father
and son. lived all their lives. and upon which
they accumulated fortune. BY purchases
the limits OF The farm were continually in
creased until, at the death Of William q.
Harding ahout year ago il embraced 400
acres. 10 which 1900 acres have since been
added by his heirs.
AMERICAS eKEAT HORSE BREEDER.
William 6. Harding was given thorough
education. and returning home, ST once began
The life o. farmer. lie was great lover Of
the chase and this passion made him fond Of
horses ana 81 dogs From this prediction it
came interested in live stock generally, but
the blood horse ~ particular became his
specially y singular Circumstance forced
h}m into the continued cM.aIg neat
Of The business which became 90 him pleas
ure. Lewas the Owner OF ~ slaves. An
opNCEg8. Of tie system fearful Of rs horrors be
determined 10 Keen his slaves together so that
they might be continually under his own super
vision. Cheaper lands were to be had III tie
west, and larger RETURNS. bUt that meant over
secrs. and General Harding would never put
his slaves UHdCr hands by which they might
possibly be nis,.eatea. As his Slaves in
creased, therefore, he was compelled to enlarge
his farm. SO that he might give them employ
ment lie never bought but one slave, and
sold but one--who had killed his brother and
OF whom the rest OF the family was afraid
Charles Sumner is said to have compiimented
General Harding upon the management OF his
slaves, and 10 have declared that II all masters
were like Harding, he would have to revise his
opinion Of slavery.
The fame OF Harding's horses spread abroad,
and he became a recognized authority on the
turf. His stables were always filled with WIN
ners oil the fastest records and his annual
sales were attended by horse-faneiers from all
parts of the union, who often paid what seem
ed to be fabulous prices Tor iavorite strain
The browning triumph OF his career on the
turf was when the celebrated Iroquois bore Oil
the Derby.
Notwithstanding his long career on the turI,
and that he was 50 often the owner OF the win
ming horse, he never gambled upon the re-
suit. In early life he had formed the reso-
luton never to bet When tainted for his in
consistency in being opposed to gambling and
still remaining patron of the TURF he replied
without the race course the world would
never have known OF the great powers of Lex
ington, the horse that has contributed more to
the improvement of his race than any Of his
predecessors, / am aware of the prcjudices
existing against the race course by relgonsts,
generally on account of its immoral tendency.
That these preiudices are not altogether
groundloss, | admit but that the immOralities
| of well regulated race course are greatly
magniiied by those who know least of its opcr-
aJI0ns, / am perIectly satlsiied that It may be
| still further improved | earnestly desire. For
one, | advocate his preservation ana ut the
| same time call upon tue moralsts 20 unite with
| me in the effort to remove all Objectionable
! features that may attach to the institution so
/ necessary to his development"
| Once" said he, II felt trcmor pass over
me rs | realized tho power of temptation He
had entered his favorite mare Gamma against
the celebrated horse Wagner The owner
of Wagner said to him: "Of course,
general. You propose TO back your entry. |
will give you better bet than any one else
would he likely TO do. | offer you ten thous-
and dollars against one thousand" al had the
one thousand. / had a special use for the ten
thousand at that very time. | had full conf
dence that Gamma would win Feeling the
force Of the temptation, under excitement, to
violate n purpose | had deliberately formed to
guide my life, l turned away, walked short
distance, turned the question of gain and prin-
cipe over inmy mind, and turned back and
declined the bet. Gamma won, but / was
then and ever after, more gratihed at my VIC
tory over the temptation to bet than Of my
favorite's splendid triumph over the most
celebrated racer OF the day"